PROFESSOR GRAS WILL STUDY HISTORY OF ENGLISH VILLAGE

The history of Crawley, a small village near Winchester in southwest England is being studied from the year 643 to the present time by N. S. B. Gras '12, Isidor Straus Professor of Business History who was recently given one of the Milton Awards.

"The history of Crawley is extremely interesting from many standpoints," Professor Gras explained yesterday. "One can trace its economic and social life through centuries. I have photostats of records gathered from strong boxes of peasants, in the city hall, and in London of the exact activities of the hamlet since the year 1208. These unbroken records are very seldom found of English villages. In my study I want to emphasize, however, not only the remote past but its present condition."

"By the study of the complete activities of several villages, history can be made more concrete. As history is written now a fact here and one there is chosen, which too often fits in with preconceived ideas. By this research of mine I hope to come nearer the truth. History is constantly being rewritten, perhaps this will be a better technique."